


Choice

by Anonymous



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: 50s au, Arguments, Fluff and Angst, Internalized Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:07:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27409315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Dream and George are happy together, even if they have to hide it. Right?
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Niki | Nihachu/Wilbur Soot (mentioned)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 193
Collections: Anonymous





	Choice

“Wilbur and Niki are getting married” George told Dream as they led together in George’s bed, wanting to fill the silence that had somehow surrounded them.

“Oh... that’s nice” he replied quickly, apparently eager to engage in conversation, whatever the subject.

“Yeah”

It wasn’t nice, not really.

Dream had been with George for two years before Niki and Wilbur had even met, and they were getting married first- because legally, they could.

“I wish I could marry you” Dream blurted, hand in George’s locks, wrapping a strand of hair around his ring finger.

Normally George would laugh, kissing the idea and sadness from Dream’s head, giggling against his lips- but today he just closed his eyes and sucked in a breath.

“I don’t think we should be talking about this Dream” George whispered, voice getting lost in the cotton stretched over Dream’s chest.

Dream’s hand stilled, frozen at George’s lower back, the younger man tensing against him.

They usually talked for hours about fantasies of a better life, where they could marry, have children, hold hands in public, kiss without making sure no one could see. Their dreams for a fairer world, where they didn’t have to be afraid to love.

“George,” Dream struggler to keep his voice level “no one can hear us, why can’t I talk of how I dream about marrying you? You’ve been my boyfriend for four years”

But George still shook his head, and pushed himself up and off of Dream, leaving him laying alone on the bed.

He had tears in his eyes, Dream noticed, and he hugged himself around the waist, almost wanting to fold himself up like origami.

“You saw Schlatt today” Dream stated, it wasn’t a guess, he knew George well enough that he never had to guess about anything.

Whenever George saw Schlatt, he would return and want as much distance from Dream as possible, Schlatt convinced him being gay made you a monster- that George was a beast. Schlatt had an old catholic mindset, stuck in a time of even less acceptance, and had made it clear George would never be accepted. And George would in a second revert back. Back to how he was before, scared of who and what he was, afraid to love and afraid of himself. Dream hated how George’s father could unravel his son, bring back the years of brainwashing he’d forced on him and undo all the progress George had made to accepting himself.

And so George would dodge Dream’s kisses, and wince under his affections, trying to hide his own. His usual energy and enthusiasm gone.

George had agreed to stop seeing Schlatt, that the verbal and physical abuse was too much, that the guilt tripping and hatred were too horrible- but clearly he had went anyway.

And he had been alone, the only friend he ever took with him was Bad- he scared George’s father, and he had spoken nothing of this visit to Dream.

“Yeah- I did” George got up, walking into the kitchen and heading to make himself tea, he always found the motion calming, and Dream would find himself drinking cup after cup whenever George was stressed.

“Want a cup?” He asked as if nothing was wrong, as if this wasn’t a huge deal, as if Dream wasn’t furious.

Dream scoffed.

“No I want to talk about this, you said you weren’t going to see him again” he crowded in closer, wincing when George flinched and cowered away.

“George...” Dream’s voice was soft, eyes catching of the beginning of a bruise around George’s forearm.

“Baby why did you-“

“Don’t call me that” he choked out, eyes glued to the floor, hands twitching as though they wanted to push Dream away, little did he know his words were doing that just fine.

Dream stumbled back.

He should be used to it, Four years of random moments of revoiced homophobia from Schlatt and yet it still hurt him every time. It hurt to see George as he was when he first met him, a young man scared in a world of threats, determined to convince himself he was something he wasn’t, just to fit in.

Dream knew George loved him, George told him daily, in both words and actions. He’d mumble it as he kissed him good morning, he’d mean it when he hugged him after a long day at work, he’d show it when they curled up to sleep together. But in these moments, he knew George hated what he was; that was enough to squeeze at his lungs.

“I’m sorry, I-“ Dream backed away, but George let out a choked sob and ran towards him, winding his arms around the taller mans waist and clinging to him.

“I’m sorry” he breathed, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, he’s in my head, I’m sorry” Dream wondered if George was apologising to him, or to his god; either way he held him tightly, muttering low words of encouragement and assurance. Dream wanted nothing more than to visit George’s Schlatt, and punch his lights out. He knew George was gay, he caught him as a child with a friend, and from that moment on it became some sort of personal mission to make sure George never felt okay to be who he was.

“Why” He sucked in a breath, curling further into Dream’s chest, as though digging for his heart.

“Why does he hate me so badly” Dream could feel his shirt grow heavier by the minute as George continued to let his tears fall in the fabric, but Dream did not move to jostle the man- instead just letting him cry, biting his lip to keep from doing the same. He was reminded of a time, when they stood in the same position, George’s tears making the same stains. George had thought police were following him, tailing him, and was already crying by the time they reached him to ask for directions. And Dream had spent the entire night trying to convince his boyfriend that he was safe, that no one could hurt him anymore and that Dream would protect him from anything, even if that anything had to be the whole world.

“He told me it was a choice- that I chose to love you, Schlatt thinks I enjoy this” he laughed darkly, grabbing one of Dream’s hand sand playing with his fingers. George had grown into his skin, accepted what he was. Last week he had even told Dream it was worth it, all the anger he could feel at himself was worth the love he received, and felt for Dream. But if they’re was even a slither of that boy his father raised, it was enough for the man to bring it back.

“Like I would choose this, like I would choose to be hated, to be afraid, to know one wrong step and I’ll be beaten within an inch of my life- why the hell would I choose this?”

Dream didn’t answer, he knew he wasn’t supposed to. He knew what these ramblings were. They weren’t trying to assure George’s Schlatt- they were to assure George. To try and talk himself out of it, hypnotise himself out of his own emotions, a method of self preservation. Dream knew from a friend on the force that throughout the 50s and 60s the police departments kept lists of known homosexuals, their favored establishments, and friends. And that the U.S. post office kept track of where anything considered homosexual was mailed, by a means of tracking them down. He knew state and local governments followed suit: that bars catering to homosexuals were shut down, and their customers were arrested and cruelly exposed in newspapers. Cities performing regular "sweeps" to rid neighborhoods, parks, bars, and beaches of gay people. So Dream understood the fear his people felt was well founded, and that while they had died down a little as they progressed into the seventies, the fear still lingered, the secret life’s continued, the past and present hanging Over their heads.

“If I could, of course I’d be straight. I’d love a woman, give Schlatt employees, id be safe. They wouldn’t want to lock me up in some institution, or humiliate me.” Dream could see it on George’s face when he spoke of loving a woman, it was the same expression he had when he told Karl “no you really do look masculine”

But he let him continue, whilst desperately trying to act as though each word wasn’t a punch to the face, George’s fingers ripping through his chest and pulling his heart straight from his body, still beating in his fist.

“I wouldn’t” he found himself saying, heart cowering behind his ribs. And you wouldn’t either, he thought- deep down.

“What?” George looked up at him, and even crying Dream found him breathtaking, drops of a tear still clinging to the curve of his lashed- and had to stop himself from leaning to kiss him.

“If I had the choice to silence the thoughts in my head and the actions of my heart for you, I wouldn’t. I would always love you George, any life time, any situation. Fear doesn’t change that. What everyone else thinks- doesn’t change that” Dream thought George would know this, though he wasn’t foolish enough to expect it to be requited in speech.

“But...” George fumbled over his words.

“Because like you said, it isn’t a choice, I’ve never had to choose to love you- that was all natural, couldn’t stop it if I tried- which I haven’t” he wondered how hard George had tried not to love Dream. Whether he cried after their first kiss, and was ashamed for weeks when they made love.

George deflected, “God hates me, the world hates me, half the population want me dead, that’s what they say right?” He sounded robotic, as though reading for a script. Dream thought he was probably having a conversation with Mr Jebediah right now.

Dream hated when people used thousand year old writing as a reason, half it’s meaning is lost in translation and the other half translated to best suit the person speaking it. The world evolving past ancient beliefs, but mindsets being stuck to them. He knew there were parts of many religions that actually supported love, never specifying gender, though they were promptly ignored. Dream’s family had even been raised on Floridan beliefs, a heavy influence of Dream’s personality and approach to sexuality.

And what were atheists reasons for hating them, they believed in no god, believed in no teachings- all they believed in was hating them.

Dream knew George had been raised religious, that he had actually liked spending time in his church; that it had been his home away from home. George had told him about the time they found out one of the choir boys was gay, and how he saw his favourite pastor chuck the boy to the curb and spit as his shadow, how George sang a little quieter ever since. And he knew how much it had hurt George in that moment to think he was hated by something he dedicated so many years to, how he lived in secret around people he considered family.

“Your God doesn’t hate you George, he created all of us equal, in the sense that the love We feel for a man is just the same as that of the love a man feels for a woman- in that I assure you, we are equal” Dream didn’t wasn’t always on the same page with George’s religious beliefs, what with being raised on different ones, but Bad had lived through enough of George’s freak outs and panic episodes that he could near enough write out a script for Dream on how to calm his boyfriend down, and what it was he wanted to hear. “Besides, who could hate you- you’re adorable” he squeezed the mans shoulders, smiling at the blush that filled his cheeks.

“That’s not what they mean” he muttered, but smiled at Dream all the same, the light in his eyes flickering like the delicate flame of a candle in the breeze.

“Man is not the voice of god George” Dream tutted jokingly.

“Not but they do take it upon themselves to be his spite” he retorted playfully.

Dream chuckled, and noticed George smiling too, bright, and bold, and there.

And things seemed okay again, a ray of sunshine through a breaking in the grey clouds. Dream thought it was over now.

He pulled George closer, placing a chaste kiss to his lips, fully intending it to be soft and short- but George wouldn’t let him pull away.

Instead kissing him harder, and pulling him in closer, running his hands through Dream’s locks and pulling on the strands to get Dream’s lips to part.

Dream moved them to be led across George’s sofa, Dream hovering over the smaller man, and George running his hands down Dream’s torso.

Everything’s okay again, Dream thought to himself as he kissed down George’s neck, pausing on the patch of skin between his neck and the curve of his shoulder, smiling against the warm skin when he felt George squirm.

He was about to return to George’s lips when-

“Will we go to hell Dream?” George mumbled weakly as if on auto pilot, lips still swollen from Dream’s, and beard burn on his cheeks.

Dream sat up, sighing and running a hand down his face- he had to go home, before he ended up saying something he would regret. He knew what George was going through, and despite mostly surrounding himself with people who were proud of their sexuality and encouraging the advances going on in the world around them, he knew how to be supportive to those who still struggled. And he usually was, talking with George for hours, addressing all his fears and encouraging him to calm back down.

But he had had a long day also. His brother was freaking out about something to do with his job, and Dream had spent nearly his whole day trying to calm him down, until Bad cane and took over so Dream could go and see George to calm himself down.

How very calming it turned out to be.

Dream moved and George’s hand lashed out instantly, catching Dream’s wrist in a gentle but strong hold.“Dream..” he had an apology painted across his lips, but Dream wasn’t in the mood. He would only hear George admitting he would choose not to lone him, in fact Dream had a feeling he would hear that every time he shut his eyes. And he knew he couldn’t be mad at George, but the world instead, but when the world seemed to speak through your boyfriends voice- it was hard.

He shook his head, but looked at George with a soft gaze, gently prying their hands apart and moving to walk away.

“I think I’m already there” he told the smaller man, referencing his earlier comment about hell, and watching him deflate on the sofa, appearance still disheveled.

“You’re leaving?” George had the audacity to look upset, running his fingers over his lips and trying his best to smile at his boyfriend, that smile that got Dream to do anything. “Thought you were staying here tonight?” Dream thought about how young he looked, so naive and innocent and afraid of the world around him. And despite his words and his appearance, Dream never would understand what went on his lovers head, and he had a feeling George wouldn’t either.

“Yes, I’m leaving” Dream bit out, turning to find his coat.

“Was it something I said?” George asked, tone cautious.

“Was it something you- it was everything you said George! You’re beginning to sound just like Schlatt” Dream could already taste the regret on his tongue but he couldn’t stop. The words building up in his throat, and if he didn’t say them then he’d choke.

“I have no problem with who I am, I have no fucking regrets that I love you with my entire being- and if people wanna beat me for that, lock me up, humilate me; then they can... it still wouldn’t change the fact that I adore you, George.”

It was weird to hear himself admit such loving feeling with such a hateful tone. It twisted in his stomach and burned at his throat. “Because I know one day we’ll win. A man will be able to marry a man, and a woman a woman- I have faith in us that we’ll get there, despite everyone around us never wanting that to happen. And I wanna get there knowing I loved you every step of the way. Even if I’m an old dying man, even if it takes that long- I’ll marry you, and I won’t feel an ounce of regret for fighting for it.” George looked at him, mouth hung open, adoration clear on his face, but the tightness between his brows still remained.

“Dream..”

“You’re spouting that homophobic bullshit that I overhear daily, I don’t need to hear it from my boyfriend George, and you don’t need to hear it from yourself. You know you didn’t feel like that, I know you’re scared and think it would all just be easier if you were straight- but we’re not, this is our life, a life I know you can love .”

He saw George flinch under the truth and sighed.

“ I hate you break it to you George... but you’re gay sweetheart, you know it can’t be changed, you know you wouldn’t want it to be changed. “ George nodded slowly, and so Dream continued. “You’re in a relationship with a man, you lie at night with a man- and up until now, I thought you loved one”

“ I do love you Dream, you know i do!..I just-“

“Wouldn’t if you had the choice?...” George looked to the floor, fingers shaking, words in his lips but never making it further. “right well I’ll make that decision easier for you”

He shrugged on his coat, hating how it had already absorbed the smell of George’s apartment, and wrapped around him like an embrace. George seemed to realise soenthing was wrong, that this was different from all the other times he fell back into the pit of hatred and denial and relied on Dream to pull him back out.

“No Dream please, I love you baby, I’m just scared, he confuses me and... please don’t leave me” he tried to walk but his legs gave out, and Dream twitched with the urge to turn around and run to him.

“Dream, I’m scared... Dream please, I’ll be better. I’ll wait and I’ll fight- I’ll marry you” Dream wasn’t mad, well he was- but he was tired. He just needed to rest and move on. He told this to George, who seemed to hear him and ignore him all at once. “I’ll come back tomorrow- I just need space right now l, okay?”

The last thing Dream saw was George slumped on the floor, leant heavily agsint the wall as he sobbed; whole body shaking from their violence .

He was choking out Dream’s name, repeating over and over that he loved him, thats he’d choose to, that he would for ever no matter the consequences. Dream believed him, of course he did. He wouldn’t have stayed with the man for four years if he ever doubted that.

He bit his lip to stop him from turning back, even as blood spilled across his tongue he kept walking, until he had left George’s apartment and was shutting the door behind him. Hoping to shut out all his feelings with it.

He turned, stumbling over his own feet when his path was blocked by a pair of towering figures.

He certainly hadn’t expected to see a policeman stood outside the door, cold look on his face.

Dream recognised his glance, the tightness of his lips, the disgust in his eyes- he nearly put his wrists together then and there to save everyone the trouble.

“Are you Dream?” Technoblade looked as though he already knew he was, so Dream had no choice but to nod, keeping his mouth shut.

Her practised this enough times, seen it happen to too many friends. He knew the drill. He wondered what excuse they had this time round.

He didn’t say anything else, simply grabbed his arms with much more force than necessary and dragged him from George’s apartment building, not caring how battered he got along the way.

George’s sobbing only picked up when he saw Dream being dragged out, the man struggling to regain his footing as Technoblade hauled him about like a rag doll.

George wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn’t, he stood Watching from his window, wondering how he could have ever pretended not to love him with every inch of his being.

How he could talk such vile words to his soulmate, the man made for him. He allowed himself to be controlled, re written in a way he had done for too many years. And he was tired of it. He wanted to fight for his rights, fo every other member of the minority’s who weren’t getting a life they deserved, and he wanted to fight with Dream at his side.

He saw him throw Dream into a car and his vision whitened with panic, he scrambled For the phone, dialling Sapnap’s number and waiting for a reply.  
“Hello, Samsung Refridgera-“

“They arrested Dream! Sapnap Techno got him, he was leaving my apartment- a..and I said I wouldn’t love him- god why do I ever listen to Schlatt!....Sapnap you know what they do to us in there I-... “ he was a few sentences past hysterical and it was lucky Sapnap had known George long enough to actually understand what he was saying. George couldn’t stand still from all the panic filling his body, shaking his bones and sending trebles through his veins. He loved Dream. No matter what his pastor said, no matter how hard Schlatt hit him- no matter what young George thought. George was completely gone on Dream, and seeing Dream taken away was killing him.

He could hear talking on the other line, like Sapnap was holding the phone at a distance and talking to someone close to him. But then he was back again, talking to George with a calming but strong voice.

“I’ll handle it”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! XD
> 
> Ps I welcome criticism and will work off of what you tell me, but it helps if you’re specific and try to educate me.


End file.
